Benson, Jodi 1961–

PERSONAL

Original name, Jodi Marzorati; born October 10, 1961, in Rockford, IL; married Ray Benson (an actor and singer), May 19, 1984; children: McKinley, Delaney. Education: Milliken University, B.F.A., musical theater. Avocational Interests: Skiing, hiking, going to the movies, bowling, reading, and traveling.

Addresses: Agent—Innovative Artists, 1505 10th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401.

Career: Actress, singer, and voice performer for animated characters. Sings soprano with orchestras, including the Indianapolis Symphony, Washington Symphony, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and Seattle Symphony; also appeared as a guest soloist for the Kennedy Center Honors; performed at Disney's movie premieres for Pocahontas, Central Park, New York City, for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Superdome, New Orleans, LA, and Colorado Music Fest, 1999.

Awards, Honors: Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a musical, and Helen Hayes Award nomination, Washington Theatre Awards Society, 1992, both for Crazy for You; Annie Award nomination, outstanding individual achievement for voice acting by a female performer in an animated feature production, International Animated Film Society (ASIFA) Hollywood, 2001, for Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure; DramaLogue Award, best actress, for Chess.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

(English version) Voice of Lastrelle's mother (2004), Kaze no tani no Naushika (animated; also known as Kaze no tani no Nausicaa, Nausicaa, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds, and Warriors of the Wind), 1984.

Voice of Ariel, The Little Mermaid (animated), Buena Vista, 1989.

Voice of Thumbelina, Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina" (animated; also known as Thumbelina), Warner Bros., 1994.

Voice of Ariel, Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Circle of Life (animated short), Walt Disney, 1994.

Voice of Ariel, Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Friends Like Me (animated short), Walt Disney, 1996.

Voice of Weebo, Flubber (also known as Disney's "Flubber": The Absent Minded Professor and The Absent Minded Professor), Buena Vista, 1997.

Voice of Belle, A Christmas Carol, 1997.

Voice, The Mighty Kong, Legacy Releasing Corp., 1998.

Herself, Under the Sea: The Making of Disney's Masterpiece "The Little Mermaid" (documentary short), Walt Disney Home Video, 1998.

Voice of Barbie, Toy Story 2 (animated), Buena Vista, 1999.

Voice of Ariel, Wish Upon a Starfish (also known as Disney's "Princess Collection": Wish Upon a Starfish), 1999.

Voice of Helen of Troy, Hercules: Zero to Hero (animated), 1999.

Voice of Ariel, Giggles (animated; also known as Disney's "Princess Collection": Giggles), 1999.

Voice of Ariel, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (animated), Buena Vista Home Video, 2000.

Voice of Asenath, Joseph: King of Dreams (animated), 2000.

Host of 1980s, Disney Through the Decades (documentary short), Walt Disney Home Video, 2001.

Voice of Lady, "Pidge," Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (animated), Walt Disney Home Video, 2001.

Voice of Ariel, Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (animated), Walt Disney Home Video, 2001.

Host, Sleeping Beauty, "Beauty and the Beast": The Story Behind the Story (documentary short), Walt Disney Home Video, 2002.

Voice of Jenna, Balto II: Wolf Quest (animated), 2002.

Voice of Anita, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (documentary), Walt Disney Home Video, 2003.

(Uncredited) Voice of Ariel, Mickey's PhilharMagic (animated), 2003.

Voice of Jenna, Balto III: Wings of Change (animated), Universal Studios, 2004.

Voice of Ariel, Disney Princess Party: Volume Two (documentary), Walt Disney Home Video, 2005.

Television Appearances; Series:

Voice of Tula, The Pirates of Dark Water (animated; also known as Dark Water), Fox, 1991–92.

Voice of Ariel, Disney's "The Little Mermaid" (animated; also known as The Little Mermaid), CBS, 1992–95.

Voice of Ariel and Belle, House of Mouse (animated), ABC, 2001.

Voice of Ms. Doe, Patsy Smiles, and Almondine, Camp Lazlo (animated), Cartoon Network, 2005.

Also appeared as voice performer for numerous cartoon series, including P. J. Sparkles.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Performer, A Precious Moments Christmas, NBC, 1991.

Presenter, The 22nd Annual Dove Awards, The Nashville Network, 1991.

Performer, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1992.

The Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade, ABC, 1992.

Voice of Ariel, A Whale of a Tale, CBS, 1992.

Performer, The Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade, ABC, 1995.

Performer, The Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fun Musical Spectacular, 1996.

Performer, A Magical Walt Disney World Christmas, ABC, 1997.

Voice of Luella Day, Gold Fever (documentary), PBS, 1997.

Joshua, The Christmas Lamb (also known as The Crippled Lamb), PAX, 2000.

Voice of Lenee, Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe in Santa (animated), 2002.

Voice of Jenna, Balto II: Wolf Quest (animated), 2002.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Police officer, "Cries of Silence," Hunter, NBC, 1991.

Mother, "Caroline and the Egg," Caroline in the City, NBC, 1997.

Voice of Helen of Troy, "Hercules & the Trojan War," Disney's "Hercules" (animated; also known as Hercules), ABC and syndicated, 1998.

Voice of Mother Cheetah, "Cheetahs Never Prosper," The Wild Thornberrys (animated), Nickelodeon, 2000.

Voice of Aquagirl, "The Call: Parts 1 & 2," Batman Beyond (animated; also known as Batman of the Future), The WB, 2000.

Choir soloist, "Sleeping Lions," The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire, CBS, 2003.

Voice of Captain Torelli, "Enemy Yours/Duck Departure," Duck Dodgers (animated), Cartoon Network, 2003.

Voice of Princess Incense, "Pig Planet," Duck Dodgers (animated), Cartoon Network, 2004.

Voice of rich mom, kid number two, and Floriculture lady, "Dumb Luck/Nobody Loves Grim," Grim & Evil (animated; also known as The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), Cartoon Network, 2004.

Voice of blue fairy, "Billy Ocean/Hill Billy," Grim & Evil (animated; also known as The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), Cartoon Network, 2005.

Voice of wife alligator and lady admirer, "He's Not Dead, He's My Mascot/Hog Wild," Grim & Evil (animated; also known as The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), Cartoon Network, 2005.

Stage Appearances:

(Broadway debut) Virginia, Marilyn: An American Fable, 1983.

Doria Hudson, Smile, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1986–87.

Betty Bursteter, Welcome to the Club, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Hurray! Hurray! Hollywood, Harold Clurman Theatre and John Houseman Theatre, New York City, both 1991.

Polly Baker, Crazy for You, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1992–93.

Broadway Canteen 7th Annual Easter Bonnet Competition, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1993.

Narrator, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Theatre Under the Stars, 1998.

Ensign Nellie Forbush, South Pacific, Music Hall, Dallas, TX, 1999.

Also appeared as Flora, Flora the Red Menace, Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA; Florence Vassey, Chess, Long Beach Civic Light Opera, Long Beach, CA; Ado Annie, Oklahoma!, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles; and Eliza Doolittle, My Fair Lady, Alex Theatre, Glendale, CA; Anita, West Side Story, Venice, Italy; Tania, Dangerous Music, Jupiter Theater, Jupiter, FL; Miss Edythe Herbert, My One and Only, European premiere; and Broadway Follies, Broadway production.

Major Tours:

Appeared in touring productions of My Fair Lady; Sophisticated Ladies, U.S. cities; and Once Upon a Mattress, world cities.

RECORDINGS

Albums:

Jodi Benson Sings Songs from The Beginner's Bible I and II, EMI/Sparrow, 1992.

Varese Sarabande's "Unsung Musicals I," 1994.

The Songs of Guideposts Junction, EMI/Sparrow, 1995.

Varese Sarabande's "A Hollywood Christmas," 1996.

Albums (performing voice of Ariel):

Little Mermaid (original sound track), Disney, 1989, re-released, 1997.

Sebastian, Disney, 1990.

Songs from the Sea, Disney, 1992.

Unsung Musicals, Varese Sarabande, 1994.

Thumbelina, SBK/ERG, 1994.

Classic Disney, Volume 2, Disney, 1994.

The Princess Collection, Disney, 1995.

Disney Classics Collection, Disney, 1997.

Also contributed to Disney's "Little Mermaid": Splash Hits.

Albums (performing voice of Thumbelina):

Thumbelina Soundtrack, Warner Bros., 1994.

Albums (performing voice of Polly Baker):

Recorded Crazy for You (cast album), EMI/Angel.

Songs:

"I Got Rhythm," I Got Rhythm: The Music of George Gershwin, 1996.

Videos:

Recorded a Christian series, Guideposts Junction, for Sparrow.

Video Games:

Voice of Atta, A Bug's Life, 1999.

Voice of Millenia and Reena, Grandia, Ubi Soft Entertainment, 2000.

Voice of Ariel, Kingdom Hearts (also known as Kingudamu hatsu), Square Electronic Arts, 2002.

Voice of mother, Onimusha 3 (also known as Onimusha 3: Demon Siege), Capcom Entertainment, 2004.

Voice of Ariel, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, 2004.